EN
“Water trickles in dark caves, drop by drop. Drops of memory handed down from Mrs. Hậu to her grandchildren, word by word. Frame by frame, water carries them, carries us, carries the film – homeward.”
Nicolas Graux and Trương Minh Quý
“Hair, Paper, Water… is loosely structured and akin to a series of snapshots of Thị Hậu’s daily life. This is enhanced by the use of an old Bolex 16mm camera, which the directors found by chance, and which gives the film the impression of a series of home videos. The grainy texture perfectly fits with the lush green surroundings of the jungle and the oft-pouring rain that gives the film a calming rhythm. There are some waypoints in the film, often punctuated by another word or set of words spoken and repeated: flood season, the acacia harvest, market visits. Highlights are the more personal stories, such as Thị Hậu remembering how she sold her hair several times to generate some income, or talking about a dream in which her mother told her to go back to the cave. As Hair, Paper, Water… gently floats from moment to moment (water plays a big role in the lives of the Rục and the film), a certain sadness hangs over the film; everything we watch may, and probably will, vanish. Given that this is a film of moments and memory, it doesn’t work its way to some sort of hopeful crescendo, which leaves the viewer with the feeling that in the not-too-distant future all traces of the Rục will be gone. One can hope that his grandmother’s teachings stay with the young boy, but given the fate of his parents, this seems an idle hope. As such, Hair, Paper, Water… will be all that lasts as a memory of a culture, and for that we have to thank Truong and Graux.”
Marc van de Klashorst
